Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting – September 8, 2026
Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting – September 8, 2026
The Lake Havasu City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. The agenda included a call to the public, consent agenda, city manager's report, and ten public hearing items covering easement abandonment, lease negotiations, economic development updates, zoning amendments, a path naming, airport update, utility infrastructure projects, and a streets maintenance presentation. All votes were unanimous unless noted.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the consent agenda (7-0) with no items removed.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Greg Frosley criticized the staff presentation for the second bridge project, stating that staff sought approval of a nearly $40 million GMP contract with only a few slides and an inaccurate cartoonish intersection depiction. He noted contradictory information about whether $5.55 million in water/wastewater utility costs were included in the GMP, and expressed concern that the true cost is closer to $47 million. He drew parallels to the "failed Commons project," citing the same city manager, acting public works director, and project manager involved, and warned that the city is "doomed" to repeat failure.
- Bonnie Twine (public hearing 8.3) asked whether the Partnership for Economic Development could be involved in planning shared-use paths (e-bike/walking) to safely connect the north side industrial hub to the rest of the city, noting that London Bridge Road is the only current route.
- Linda Rick (public hearing 8.6) spoke about the airport, describing a loss of institutional knowledge after the departure of the office manager and operations manager, and called for reinstating the airport advisory board to give users a formal voice.
- Abby Sistaro (public hearing 8.5) supported naming the island multi-use path in memory of Dean Barlow, citing his philanthropy and community service.
- A citizen (public hearing 8.9) questioned whether the water tank project could be broken into smaller contracts to save money, similar to how the pest control contract was handled. Mayor Shehi and Mr. Young (Public Works) explained that a single contractor is necessary for coordination and liability on such a project.
Discussion Items
- City Manager's Report (Item 7): Included recognition of Asha Rogers with a Citizen Commendation for assisting in a water rescue on August 11, 2026; recognition of HR Director Dr. Bobby Kimbleton for her national veterans leadership roles and awards; announcement that the Lake Havasu Knights won the Golden Shovel football trophy (53-0); the launch of military tribute banners at Rotary Park; a proclamation for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month; the upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Event on December 12, 2026; confirmation of the Second Bridge Groundbreaking Ceremony on October 13, 2026; and a reminder of the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on September 11, 2026 (25th anniversary).
- Easement Abandonment (8.1): Resolution 26-3945 approved (6-0, one recusal) to abandon the northernly 5 feet of a 10-foot public utility and drainage easement at 910 Kiowa Avenue, subject to relocation of any Frontier cable at applicant’s expense.
- Lease Negotiation Follow-up (8.2): Council directed staff to proceed as discussed in executive session regarding lease negotiations for 631 London Bridge Road. The public hearing was informational; a member of the public asked about the status of the yacht club lease and was told final terms will come back to council later. Motion carried 7-0.
- Partnership for Economic Development (PED) Update (8.3): Lisa Pender-White (chair) and James Gray (executive director) presented. The PED’s FY 26-27 focus includes a $100,000 investment in north side development. Key points: The north side corridor (shops at Lake Havasu and Apex West) is emerging as a major commercial and industrial hub; PED attends ICSC conventions to recruit businesses and reported strong interest following the second bridge announcement and the 624-acre state land purchase. Nomadic co-working space has 71 active members and drew 11,000 visitors last year. First Friday’s eighth season began September 4, 2026, with 75+ artisans and 55+ merchants. Council discussion touched on recruitment strategies, the challenge of Phoenix competition, and the importance of connecting the I-40 corridor to Havasu. Councilmember Campbell complimented the work. Public comment suggested involving PED in shared-use path planning.
- Zoning Amendment for Residential Care Homes (8.4): Ordinance 26-1384 amends the development code to comply with Arizona SB 1473 (effective Sept. 12, 2026), which prohibits cities from limiting state-licensed assisted living homes to fewer than 10 unrelated residents. The amendments update the use table, cross-reference, definition, and family definition. Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval. Council approved 7-0.
- Naming of Island Multi-Use Path (8.5): Resolution 26-3946 designates the island multi-use path as “Dean Barlow Legacy Loop” in honor of Dean Alan Barlow, a former council member and philanthropist who donated extensively to education, the humane society, and community projects. The application was submitted by Brigid Stevens. Council voted 7-0 to approve.
- Municipal Airport Update (8.6): David Ruppel, interim airport manager from Aviation Management Consulting Group (AMCG), presented via video. He has 20+ years of airport experience and is on-site one week per month. Action items included closing out the runway safety area project, addressing taxiway C cracking (plan to seal cracks with mastic to allow reopening), hiring an operations specialist (13 applicants, interviews underway), standardizing leases (currently some are 30-day terms for private hangars), and exploring commercial service options (Part 139 and Part 135). Discussion: Vice Mayor Diaz asked about taxiway C—Ruppel confirmed the FAA supported the proposed fix. Councilmember Dolan noted high manager turnover and supported the interim arrangement. Councilmember Lynn and others expressed interest in reinstating an airport advisory board (removed by council previously) or a user group. Public comment from Linda Rick detailed the lack of consistent on-site staff and loss of experienced personnel. Council discussed options and requested that staff bring back proposals for a user/ advisory group.
- Channel Force Main Inspection/Rehabilitation (8.7): Cooperative purchase with Pro Pipe Services LLC for $259,035 plus taxes for CCTV, laser scanning, and amp probe inspection of the 40-year-old, 16-inch ductile iron force main that conveys 1–1.5 million gallons of wastewater daily across the channel. The work may lead to a cured-in-place pipe liner. Council approved the purchase 7-0.
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Change Order (8.8): Change Order No. 1 for the Island WWTP filter upgrade project with Schofield Civil Construction in the amount of $473,237.14 for electrical upgrades and pump cap repair. Approved 7-0.
- North Havasu Water Tank Bid (8.9): Awarded to XLAZ LLC for $2,822,835 for a 750,000-gallon potable water tank and distribution lines. Project estimated 10 months, starting November 2026. Six bids received; engineer’s estimate was $3,142,025. Approved 7-0.
- Streets Maintenance Program Presentation (8.10): Public Works Director Bill Young presented a 10-year summary: 432.7 miles of roadway, 653.44 lane-miles maintained, total spending of $37.1 million. Current average PCI is 64 (compared to an 11-city benchmark of 66). 80% of streets are in fair to very good condition. Young noted that the top four cities in the benchmark have voter-approved taxes. Council member Campbell praised the increased spending (approx. $20 million in the last five years) and recognized the impact of commercial traffic on residential streets. Council member Moses asked about lower lane-miles with higher spending (attributed to more expensive mill & fill overlays). Mayor Shehi defended staff against recent criticism and encouraged public engagement.
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent agenda (7-0).
- Approved Resolution 26-3945 (easement abandonment) (6-0, one recusal).
- Directed staff to proceed with lease negotiations per executive session (7-0).
- No formal action on PED update (informational/public hearing closed).
- Adopted Ordinance 26-1384 (residential care homes) (7-0).
- Adopted Resolution 26-3946 (Dean Barlow Legacy Loop) (7-0).
- Accepted airport update; council will consider options for an airport user/advisory group at a future meeting.
- Approved cooperative purchase for channel force main inspection (7-0).
- Approved Change Order No. 1 for Island WWTP (7-0).
- Awarded North Havasu water tank bid to XLAZ LLC (7-0).
- Received streets maintenance presentation; no action taken.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome. I call to order the Lake Havasu City Council regular meeting on Tuesday, September 8th, 2026 at 5.30 p.m. We'll have an invocation from Pastor Dale Ray with Lakeview Community Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led with the Havasu Vivers Baseball. Pastor. Out of the book of Lamentations, we read these words. It is of the Lord's good mercies that we're not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great as thy faithfulness. Guide and direct them in the decisions that need to be made. I thank you for the citizens that are here tonight. I thank you for giving us such a beautiful place to call home. I pray, Lord, that you would guard and keep all of our departments, police, fire, all of those who serve our city, keep them safe from harm. May we each as citizens contribute back. May this place truly be blessed in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. And then if the Vipers want to come to the podium. Without her help, uh this wouldn't be possible as well, as well as our many sponsors, our board, um, and all the families that help support these guys. Um just want to say a quick prayer real quick. Father God, we come to you today for a heart of appreciation and gratitude for these young boys. Um I know this costs a lot of money, but let them grow in you in a way that they can strive to put you first and have a heart for gratitude for all that the families and this community does for them. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. And you republic for which it stands, one nation under God, in the visible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you for being here. All right, uh item four on our agenda is the roll call. Miss Williams, if you please call the roll. Council members Nancy Campbell, here. Jenny Koch, here. Jim Dolan. Here. Cameron Moses. Here. Michelle Lynn. Here. Vice Mayor David Diaz. Here. Here. Thank you. Thank you. Item five on the agenda is our call to the public. This is where citizens have the opportunity to address the city council on items within the jurisdiction of Lake Havasu City. Uh your comments are limited to three minutes uh or less. We don't have uh the opportunity to have a two-way conversation during call to the public, so we can just listen intently uh during this portion of the meeting. Um if you are here for one of the public hearings that will come after this, we do encourage you to wait until that item so that we can have a two-way conversation uh during the discussion. You don't have to sign up for call to the public, and we didn't have anyone sign up for call to the public. But if you'd like to address the council during call to the public, please make your way to the podium and state your name for the record. Good evening, Mayor members of council. My name is Greg Frosley. I think I've lived here 28 and a half years now. Um I took the opportunity to watch the second bridge council presentation where staff was asking council to approve a nearly 40 million dollar GMP contract, and I thought the presentation was just awful.
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